Incubator



Sept. '2 1924. 1,507,463

' P. CHRISTIANSSQN INGUBATOR Filed Jan. 18. 1923 2 Shoets-Shoot lATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1924-.

PEI-IR CHRISTIANSSON, OF CARLOS, MINNESOTA.

INC'UBATOR.

Application filed January 18, 1923. Serial No. 613,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEHR CHRISTIANSSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carlos, in the county of Douglas and State of Minnesota,have invented a newand useful Improvement in Incubators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to incubators, and its general object is theprovision of an im proved structure by means of which the handling ofthe eggs for the purpose of turning and cooling the same may beaccomplished with a minimum amount of time and labor.

A more specific object is the provision of a drawer for containing theeggs-which maybe withdrawn for the purpose of cooling the same withoutremoving the eggs therefrom, the drawerbeing also provided with aplurality of'individual trays which are revolubly mounted and providedwith means whereby the same may be simultaneously revolved forturningall of the eggs from the outside of theincubator in a moments time.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists incertain details of construction, the preferred form of which isillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective vlew of an 111- cubator equippedwith my invention.

F1g. 2 is a perspective view of the front part of the same with thedrawer extended.

Fig. 3 is a plan view parts shown in section. v

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the drawer.

Fig. 5 is a vertical: transverse section through the incubaton Fig. 6 isaside elevation of the lamp support -with the adj acent' part of theincubator shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of theen'd of one of the trays.

The incubator of which my invention forms a part comprises a rectangularbody portion 1 supported by the-usual legs 2', and provided with aheating system 3', which is preferably of the hot water type. The wateris heated in the usual 'manner by means of a-lamp 4 which is supportedbeneath a flue 5 around which extends a water jacket. The operation ofthe lamp and the a ount of heat hich is tran ed t9 the ed by eyes of thedrawer with incubator is controlled means of a damper 6, the position ofwhich is determined by means of an arm 7 which is actuated by meansof athermostat 8. i I Instead of the usual egg trays,-which must be removedthrough a hinged door, in order to cool or turn the eggs, I haveprovided the incubator with a sli dable drawer 9 which extendssubstantially throughout the length and breadth of the body 1, and isprovided at its front side with a; window 10 and dr;a w. er pulls 11.The drawer may be extended as shown in Fig. 2 for the purpose of.cooling the eggs, or for inserting or removing the same from the trays.A button 12 or the like may be-provid'ed for locking the drawer inclosed position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Since the drawer is of considerable length, and in order to 0001 all theeggs equally or to gain access to all of the trays it is necessary tocompletely extendthe drawer, I have provided means for supporting thesame when in its extended position. This means includes a bail 13 which.is pivotally support 14 secured in the upper front edge of theincubator. When the drawer is fully extended, the bail is adapted toengage in a groove or notch 15 which extends transversely across theunderside'of the drawer 9. p In order to check theextension of thedrawer at the proper point, and to prevent the drawer from beingaccidentally withdrawn completely fromthe incubator, Ihave providedateach side of theincubator, near the front edge,,a spring-pressed pin 16which is adapted to enter a recess 17' formed in the inner end of thedrawen lVhen it is .de-

sired to close the drawer, the pins may be withdrawn from the recesses17 by means-of the, protruding heads 18., r I

' Vithin the-drawer 9, a plurality of trays 19 extend transverselythereof and are provided with trunnions 20 which are revolubly supportedin vertical slots 21 formed in the inner side walls. of the drawer.Each'tray is preferably of a width to receive two rows of eggs, and theslots 21 extend to theupper edges of the side walls of that the traysmaybe easily removed therefrom for the purpose of cleaning: orfilling thesame. Each tray is provided at one end with a sprocket/wheel 22 which isengaged by a sprocket chain 23, the upper and lower flights of whichextend outwardl ro Slots, 2. n the front wal f h the; drawer so drawerand engage over a sprocket wheel 25 which is mounted in a bracket 26secured to the front side of the drawer. A series of L-shaped brackets27 or the like are arranged to bear against the upper flight of thechain 23 between the trays to secure proper engagement of the chain withthe sprockets 22, and the lower flight ofthe sprocket chain is supportedby a series of rollers 28 for a similar purpose.

It will be understood, therefore, that when the sprocket wheel 25 isrotated through an angle of 180, all of' the trays are turnedsimultaneously. For convenience in effecting this rotation, haveprovided a bail 29 which is secured, by a non-rotatable connection, tothe sprocket wheel 25 and may be retained in its upper or lower positionby means of holders 30.

For the purpose of inserting or removing the eggs from the trays, eachtray is provided with a removable cover 31 which is preferablyforaminous so that proper circulation and ventilation will be secured,the bottoms also being f'oramino'us, as shown at 55 in Fig. 2'. Thecover 31 is provided at one end with a plurality of eyes 32 which engagehooks 33 secured in the end wall of the tray. The other end of the coveris provided with a bail 34 which extends around one or more eccentrics35. Each of these eccentrics is provided with a circumferential groove36 within which the bail 3 L is adapted to be retained, and theeccentric is pivotally mounted on a pin 37 about which it may be movedby means of a lug 38, to the position shown in Fig. 3, wherein the coveris stretched and maintained in closed position. The eccentric is alsoprovided with a notch 39 in which a pin 40 may be inserted to look theeccentric in position, but may be easily removed when it is desired torotate the eccentric to release the bail 34C and remove the cover. Aretaining rod ll may also be extended transversely across the cover toretain the intermediate portion of the same in proper position when thetray is inverted, and this retaining member is provided at its ends witheyes 42 which slidably engage the tracks 43 that extend from end to endof the tray and are preferably secured intermediately to the sides ofthe tray, as indicated at 4%. When it is desired to re move the cover,the retaining rod e1 may be moved to the end of the tray, and the cover,after being released. by the eccentrics 35, may be easily removed.

The incubator is preferably provided with a ventilating hole 45 in itsrear wall which may, if desired, be closed by a removable peg. Athermometer tray 46 may also be secured at a convenient point along theside wall where it may be viewed through a small window s7.

For supporting "the lamp 4, I have provided a U-shaped bracket 48whichis secured by screws to the under wall of the body l, as shown inFig. 6, and a vertical screwthreaded rod 49 is adjustably supported inthe bracket by means of suitable lock nuts 50, and its upper end isguided in a plate v51 secured between the legs of the bracket, and theupper end of the rod projects into a recess 52 formed in the bottom ofthe body 1.

The lower end of the rod 49 is provided with I an adjustable wing nut 53or the likeby means of which the lamp support 5% may be adjustablysupported.

From the foregoing description, it willbe seen that l have provided anincubator in which the turning and cooling of the eggs, or any of theother operations which are necessary in using the incubator, may beperformed with very little labor and in a minimum amount of time, all ofthe eggs being handled simultaneously. The eggs may be supported in thedrawer and coo-led without removing the same therefrom. It will also benoted that when the drawer is in its extended position, the inner endthereof will close the opening into the incu-- bator and thus preventthe interior thereof from becoming cooled, The lamp may be easily andquickly adjusted vertically in order to obtain the best results.

lVhile I have shownand described in detail the construct-ion andarrangement by means of which my invention may be carried out, it willbe understood that this is merely illustrative and that variousmodifications may be made in the details thereof without departing fromthe spirit-'ofthe invention as defined by the claims.

hat is claimed is 1. In an incubator, an egg chamber, a plurality oftrays in. said chamber for. receiving eggs, eachv tray having trunnionson which it is revoluble, and a sprocket wheel secure-d thereto, asprocket wheel revolubly mounted outside the chamber, a sprocket chainconnecting all of said sprocket wheels, a bail secured to the outsidesprocket. for oscillating the same to turn the trays, and means forlimiting the movement of the bail in each direction.

2. An egg tray for incubators, comprising bottom and side walls, aforaminous cover hinged at one end and having a bail at the other end,and a rotatable eccentric for em gaging said bail to hold the cover inclosed position.

3. In wan incubator, a tray adapted to be filled with eggs and having acover, hooks at one end of the tray, eyes on one end of the coverengaging the books, the other end of the cover having a bail, eccentricsmounted on the tray and having circumferential grooves with which the.bail is en said eccentrics being rotatable to ock the bai in the groovesor release it therefrom.

ageable,

4. In an incubator, a tray adapted to be filled with eggs and having aremovable foraminous cover supported at each end, tracks secured to thetray at each side of the cover, and a retaining member slidablysupported by the tracks and normally extending across the intermediateportion of the cover to retain and support the same when the tray isinverted, said retaining member being slidable longitudinally beyond theend of the cover to permit the opening of the latter. I

5. In an incubator, a tray adapted to be filled with eggs and having acover, hooks at one end of the tray, eyes on one end of the coverengaging said hooks, the other end of. the cover having a bail,eccentrics mounted on the tray and having circumferential grooves withwhich the bail is engageable, said eccentrics being rotatable to lockthe bail in the grooves or release it therefrom, tracks secured to thetray at each side of the cover, and a retaining member slidablysupported by the tracks and normally extending across the intermediateportion of the cover to retain and support the same when the tray isinverted, said retaining member being slidable longitudinally beyond thebail at the end of the cover to permit the cover to be removed when thebail is released from the eccentrics.

6. In an incubator, an egg tray having a foraminous cover with eyes atone end, hooks secured to the side of the tray and-on which the eyes aremounted, the other end of the cover having a bail, and eccentricsmounted on the. tray and having circumferefipial grooves with which thebail is engagea e, the bail in the grooves or release it therefrom.

7, In an incubator, an invertible tray having a foraminous cover hingedat one end, said cover having a bail at the other end, and an eccentricrotatably mounted 011 the side of the tray and engageable with said bailto hold the cover in closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereuntoafliXed nature.

, PEHRCHRISTIANSSON.

said eccentrics being rotatable to lock my sig-

